Fix HP 1020 print spooler subsystem crash

Lets say you’re working one day and thinking to yourself: “Hey you know what would be awesome? If I could print this large PDF file on my brand new HP 1020 Laser printer – because that’s what I bought it for – that’s what would be awesome!” Unfortunately though, when you click print all you see is an error saying that the “Spooler subsystem app has encountered a problem and needs to close.” Your only option is to click OK so you think nothing of it and continue to work without the printed material. Later you find that all your printers are gone and you can’t print anything anymore. Here’s what happened: The poorly coded HP printer driver has managed to crash the entire Windows print spooler subsystem because it couldn’t handle that large PDF file you tried to print earlier. When you rebooted, the subsystem recovered but because the print job was still in the print queue, it crashed again. The thing is you can’t cancel the job without the print subsystem running but the subsystem keeps crashing because of the job. This is what we computer geeks call an infinite loop. Here’s how to break the loop and get printing again.

[step 1] Open your computers services control panel by navigating to Start->Run, type services.msc and click OK. If your computers start menu doesn’t have Run on it, try entering “services” into the Search programs and files field on the start menu (VISTA). The services control panel contains all of the systems background services, one of which is the Print Spooler service. Highlight it, we’ll need to work with this service.

[step 2] Open your computers printers control panel folder by navigating to Start->Printers and Devices or search for it using the method described above. This folder normally contains all of your installed printers, but if your print spooler subsystem has crashed, all you’ll see is the Add Printer icon.

[step 3] Place the two windows (the services and printers control panels) next to each other on the desktop so you can easily work with both at the same time. Now in the Services window, right click the Print Spooler service and click Start. Click on the Printers control panel window to bring it into focus and press the F5 key to refresh its contents. You should now see all of your printers. If not give it a second and try pressing F5 again to refresh. The idea here is to start the printer subsystem and try to cancel the print job in the queue before it gets resubmitted and crashes the print spooler subsystem again. If you still cannot see your printers, chances are the print spooler has crashed and is in a stopped state again. You’ll need to repeat this step from the beginning.

[step 4] Once your printers are visible in the printers control panel, locate the HP Laserjet 1020 printer and double click it. This will open the printers print queue where you should see that PDF job. As fast as humanly possible click Print->Cancel all jobs… If you’re lucky this will work on the first try, if not, you may need to repeat step 2 and 3 a few times until you’ve got the timing right. The idea is to quickly start the print spooler and before it crashes cancel the job in the queue.

[step 5] Once your HP Laserjet 1020 print queue is empty, you’re in the clear. Try downloading and installing a PCL based printer from the 1020 from the HP website or get a used HP Laserjet 2200 on eBay. They’re the same price and work much more reliably.
That’s it.


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29 responses to “Fix HP 1020 print spooler subsystem crash”

  1. Dwight Parker Avatar
    Dwight Parker

    If you power off the printer, you do not have to be quick when trying to delete the print jobs. Once they are deleted, you can turn on the printer and print should resume fine. I am still looking for a more permanent fix, should you have one.

    1. Shari Avatar
      Shari

      Great help! Thanks! Unplugging the printer did the trick to be able to cancel the print job!

  2. diana Avatar
    diana

    OMG, thanks soo much, i’ve looked at a million forms and they all sounded too complicated

  3. Finchwizard Avatar

    Great stuff.

    I had the printer spooler keep crashing on Windows 7 64bit.

    Quick search to see why and I saw this post. Noticed that the same printer was also attached. So that saved me a lot of work.

    Time to just throw out the printer I think. Buy anything but HP.

  4. KDP Avatar
    KDP

    David,

    You are the best! I just bought a very expensive new system, and I was about ready to throw it out the window. This fix worked like a charm. Am now off to find some new non-HP printer.

    Keith

  5. Dan Eagle Avatar

    David thanks! My second HP 1018 that had this problem. Clear from the number of Google Hits that there is a problem with the 1018. First time HP “fixed” the problem by sending me a new machine but by now the warrantee was over. So I used Davids advice and it worked. I’m going to be careful not to try to print any super large PDF or any file with this defective printer. Again Thanks to David.

  6. Brian Avatar
    Brian

    Does not work for me. The printer does not respond to test pages, text docs, pdf’s, etc.

    The queue will show a test page being sent to the printer, status “Spooling” then it disappears. Nothing prints.

    This has happened before and I was able to locate an executable file that fixed the issue, I thought I saved it but I guess I didn’t.

    Any ideas??

  7. Oliver M Avatar
    Oliver M

    Hi, we’re having the same problem, and one possible way to fix this is to switch off the printer spooler service (if it hasn’t already crashed). Then manually empty the printing queue by deleting the files in C:WINDOWSsystem32spoolPRINTERS -directory. Be careful not to delete any critical operating system files.

    This will hopefully allow you to start the spooler service without crashing.

  8. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    Thank you so much! This was my exact problem although with a different HP printer model and your solution worked. I’m very glad to have my printer up and running again.

  9. Allen Avatar
    Allen

    I’ve had the exact problem [trying to print a very large pdf] and the exact same printer–twice. Your description of the problem and how to fix it is terrific–thanks very much!!!!!!!

    But I did have an easier time deleting the file out of the print que [without the “timing” problem you describe]–I still don’t know how I did it, but both times I managed to somehow stumble on the print que, and of course, when I saw the pdf stuck there [document status is given as “printing”, which it obviously isn’t], I immediately hit delete, and it took.

    With the successful deletion of the large pdf, the printer interface–like magic–was immediately and fully restored.

    Here is a dumb question–why doesn’t Microsoft and/or HP just fix this??????

    Thanks again!!!!!!

  10. Jonas Avatar
    Jonas

    Thanks, it was perfect

  11. Micro$oft Avatar
    Micro$oft

    @Oliver

    Your solution worked for me! Thanks!

  12. Rain Avatar
    Rain

    Try to use other program to read and print pdf documents except adobe and you`ll be able to print large pdf documents on this printer.

  13. ALLEN [again, sigh] Avatar
    ALLEN [again, sigh]

    Original problem was with VISTA. Have Windows 7, got hit with identical problem [see my previous above]. Extremely difficult to find/get it to display print Que. When I finally stumbled on the print Que, it repeatedly refused to “cancel all documents.” Dwight Parker [fist post]–had the magic answer. Once I had the print que, I turned off my printer, and was immediately able to successfully “cancel all documents”

    Thanks David, Thanks Dwight!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. zipi ganan Avatar
    zipi ganan

    thank you so much its about 2 years we suffer from this problem.

  15. Hayes Avatar

    Thank you! Sometimes it’s possible to find exactly what you need.

  16. Ebbe Avatar
    Ebbe

    I got a new job, but I could not print the contract so that I could sign it. I had to tell my employer that he had to wait. My PC lost nearly all its USB connections, no external DVD drive, no keyboard, etc. I prepared for reinstallation… and then I found your description. I turned the printer off and could easily see that the problematic document was the PDF contract itself, ironically. I have had this HP1020 for years and I have never had the problem until now.

  17. Rick Avatar
    Rick

    David,
    Thanks for the fix!! I had previously tried a similar fix offered by HP but it didn’t work because it didn’t include the step of deleting the existing print job.
    You’re a smart guy. Keep up the good work!!!

  18. Bob L. Avatar
    Bob L.

    I contacted HP. They do not have a software fix for this problem. The fix they do have is to sell you another printer. I’ve decided that I will take their advice, it just won’t be an HP printer.

    1. David Vielmetter Avatar

      Yea, I can only say good things about my Canon HP replacement 🙂

  19. Jim Avatar
    Jim

    David, THANK YOU for leaving this up on your site — I’ve been frustrated, searching for a solution all over the Internet and you’re the only one that solved it. Thanks again!

  20. jk Avatar
    jk

    THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
    FINALLY AFTER SO MANY RESTORES AND WEB BROWSING TO FINE SOLUTION!!!!
    this works!!
    only question is I had this printer so long and it was the first time. Was I just lucky until now? LOL
    anyway Thanks again!!!

  21. Adriano Avatar

    Thanks from Brazil.
    That is the best solution!

  22. Tricia Avatar
    Tricia

    David,

    Thanks. I’ve been experiencing this problem for a few days. And needless to say, I was extremely frustrated. After much Google searches, I came across your advice. Bingo, it worked! Now, I can breathe again.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    GREAT TIP. Two days of restarting the computer, the printer the spooler and I finally found your tip—-it took a couple of tries, I am not as quick as I used to be, but IT WORKED. THANKS AGAIN

  24. oel Avatar
    oel

    Great help sir! thanx so much!
    note: if you guys print a PDF make sure to click “current view” in Print Range” in printer option. dont choose “all” it will lead you to same problem again… thanx

  25. abdul Avatar
    abdul

    Thaxnx help .but it is working only after removal of queue without downloading pcl based any software

  26. Dr Manica Tomar Avatar
    Dr Manica Tomar

    thank you so much!!! i was stuck with my printer. your tips helped me!!! thanks a ton!